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Date: 10/09/10
Trail Conditions: Generally wet and muddy, challenging but rock-hop-able river crossing, see comments below.
Special Equipment Needed: Waterproof boots, trekking poles very helpful for water crossings, GPS helpful for the northern section of the Lincoln Brook Trail.
Comments:
Day 2 of an overnight hike over Garfield and staying at the Galehead Hut.
Twin Brook Trail: was in fine shape with only few mud spots in spite of the week’s wet weather
Lincoln Brook Trail (north half): Interesting section, easier to follow than I had feared from the usual write-ups. The river crossings were tricky but doable and there was plenty of mud. The ascent from Franconia Brook to “height of land” was well defined with evidence of some light trail maintenance. Trail became very faint over the high ground at NW corner of Owls Head, better defined as it turned south. After crossing Lincoln Brook W to E, trail grows faint again but you just follow the river. Happy to provide more detail on this section to anyone interested.
Owl’s Head Slide: The cairns marking the slide trail were very prominent. The slide trail was wet but not too bad. Some running water before the lower scree section and on the paths along the edges of the slide. The upper wooded section was clear and mostly dry. The herd paths on the summit had plenty of blow downs and some mud, but you could follow them pretty well. The false summit still had its direction sign to the new summit (indicating 0.25 mile N) as well as an arrow of rocks on the ground, and the true summit had a large cairn and the frequently pictured vertical sign about 10’ up a tree on the E side of the path.
Lincoln Brook Trail (south half): Quite a bit of mud, though it could usually be avoided. The river crossings were tricky but doable, especially with the help of trekking poles. Told by another hiker that the southern Lincoln and Franconia Brook major crossings were pretty bad. The Black Pond BW was very muddy, as was the section of trail around the pond itself but trail was dry S of the pond. Lincoln Woods trail was packed with leaf peepers.
Dan D.
ddecarie “a t” gmail “d o t” com
Trail Conditions: Generally wet and muddy, challenging but rock-hop-able river crossing, see comments below.
Special Equipment Needed: Waterproof boots, trekking poles very helpful for water crossings, GPS helpful for the northern section of the Lincoln Brook Trail.
Comments:
Day 2 of an overnight hike over Garfield and staying at the Galehead Hut.
Twin Brook Trail: was in fine shape with only few mud spots in spite of the week’s wet weather
Lincoln Brook Trail (north half): Interesting section, easier to follow than I had feared from the usual write-ups. The river crossings were tricky but doable and there was plenty of mud. The ascent from Franconia Brook to “height of land” was well defined with evidence of some light trail maintenance. Trail became very faint over the high ground at NW corner of Owls Head, better defined as it turned south. After crossing Lincoln Brook W to E, trail grows faint again but you just follow the river. Happy to provide more detail on this section to anyone interested.
Owl’s Head Slide: The cairns marking the slide trail were very prominent. The slide trail was wet but not too bad. Some running water before the lower scree section and on the paths along the edges of the slide. The upper wooded section was clear and mostly dry. The herd paths on the summit had plenty of blow downs and some mud, but you could follow them pretty well. The false summit still had its direction sign to the new summit (indicating 0.25 mile N) as well as an arrow of rocks on the ground, and the true summit had a large cairn and the frequently pictured vertical sign about 10’ up a tree on the E side of the path.
Lincoln Brook Trail (south half): Quite a bit of mud, though it could usually be avoided. The river crossings were tricky but doable, especially with the help of trekking poles. Told by another hiker that the southern Lincoln and Franconia Brook major crossings were pretty bad. The Black Pond BW was very muddy, as was the section of trail around the pond itself but trail was dry S of the pond. Lincoln Woods trail was packed with leaf peepers.
Dan D.
ddecarie “a t” gmail “d o t” com
